BKFC News
Diego Sanchez provides health update after battling for his life in hospital
Christopher Taylor - December 18, 2021
UFC legend Diego Sanchez has provided a health update after spending the past couple of weeks battling for his life in the hospital. The former UFC lightweight title challenger, Sanchez (30-13 MMA), took to social media late last month where he shared a photo from a hospital bed revealing that he had both pneumonia and COVID-19.
Mike Perry leaves commentary booth to fight Julian Lane in the crowd at BKFC event (Video)
Cole Shelton - December 9, 2021
Mike Perry didn’t take kindly to Julian Lane throwing something at him while he was in the commentary booth at BKFC Tampa on Thursday. Perry, a recent BKFC signing, was talking about the fights when a fellow fighter in Lane threw something at him. Perry proceeded to take off his headset and go into the crowd to start a brawl with Lane. The video was captured by fans and Lane ended up putting it on his Instagram along with a callout of Perry.
Jordan Nash suffers horrific eye injury at BKFC Tampa (Photo)
Cole Shelton - December 9, 2021
Jordan Nash had his BKFC fight stopped due to a gruesome eye injury. Nash, who is 2-0 in bare-knuckle, was fighting Noah Cutter on the BKFC Tampa card on Thursday night. It was his second fight in BKFC as his first bare-knuckle fight took place on the Toe the Line promotion. Following that showing he was quickly elevated to BKFC. However, his fight against Cutter did not go his way as he suffered an eye injury that stopped the fight and is hard to look at it.
Rachael Ostovich thankful for solid pay from BKFC after “almost going broke fighting in MMA”
Harry Kettle - November 29, 2021
Rachael Ostovich has spoken candidly about how thankful she is for the pay she’s received thus far in BKFC. While she may be best known for her stint in the UFC, Ostovich made an intriguing transition over to bare-knuckle boxing back in the summer. In her debut for BKFC, she managed to secure a unanimous decision win over Paige VanZant – the same woman who submitted her back in January 2019.
Hector Lombard and Lorenzo Hunt get into shouting match at BKFC 22 presser (Video)
Adam D Martin - November 11, 2021
Former UFC fighter Hector Lombard, who is now a bare-knuckle boxer, and Lorenzo Hunt got into a shouting match at the BKFC 22 presser. Hunt and Lombard are set to square off for Lombard’s BKFC cruiserweight belt this weekend when they meet Friday in the main event of BKFC 22 in Miami, Florida. Ahead of their grudge match, the press conference took place on Wednesday, and things got heated between the two rivals. At one point during the press conference, Hunt interrupted Lombard while he was answering questions from reporters, and then a shouting match ensued between the two rivals. That led to Hunt storming up to the table that Lombard was sitting at, flipping it over, and stealing his BKFC championship belt. You can then see Hunt taking the belt and slamming it on the ground before security moved him away.
Mike Perry responds to callout from Julian Lane: “I don’t want my opponents to want to bang, bro”
Harry Kettle - November 3, 2021
New BKFC signing Mike Perry has issued a strange response to Julian Lane after the famous “let me bang bro” fighter called him out. It was confirmed recently that Perry, who was formerly with the UFC, would be making his way over to BKFC in order to begin a new chapter of his career in bare-knuckle boxing. There are many folks who want to be his first opponent in the promotion, and that includes Julian Lane.
Diego Sanchez still in talks with BKFC, could be matched up with Mike Perry says David Feldman: 'A lot of people would talk about that fight' "
Cole Shelton - October 29, 2021
Diego Sanchez may still be fighting sans gloves next time out. Sanchez was linked to possibly signing with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship earlier this year. However, nothing came of it but BKFC president, David Feldman confirmed to BJPENN.com they are still in talks with Sanchez. Not only that, but they are discussing him possibly fighting Mike Perry in “Platinum’s” BKFC debut.
Dana White reacts after Mike Perry signs a multi-fight deal with BKFC
Christopher Taylor - October 27, 2021
Dana White has reacted after news broke that former UFC welterweight Mike Perry has inked a multi-fight deal with BKFC. ‘Platinum’ (14-8 MMA) fought out his UFC contract back in April, suffering a unanimous decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez. The setback marked Perry’s second in a row, and fourth in his past five fights overall.
Mike Perry is 'the perfect fit for BKFC,' says David Feldman, could be fast-tracked to a title shot
Cole Shelton - October 26, 2021
Mike Perry is the newest fighter of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship roster. On Tuesday it was revealed Perry signed a multi-fight deal with the sans gloves promotion. The news caught many by surprise but BKFC president, David Feldman, says this is something that has been in the works for quite some time.
Mike Perry signs multi-fight deal with BKFC
Cole Shelton - October 26, 2021
Mike Perry is no longer on the UFC roster as he has signed a deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. MMAFighting was the first to report the news. BKFC confirmed the signing on Tuesday via a press release. According to the release, Perry signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion but details of the contract were not released.
Melvin Guillard shares hospital photos after breaking orbital bone against Joe Riggs in BKFC
Adam Martin - October 10, 2021
Former UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard shared hospital photos after breaking his orbital bone against veteran Joe Riggs in their BKFC fight. Guillard took on Riggs in a bare-knuckle boxing match in Billings, Montana on Saturday night. Riggs won the fight early in the first round when he caught Guillard with a big punch that sent him through the ropes. It was a huge punch, and Guillard immediately collapsed to the mat and held his face. It turns out that Guillard ended up breaking his orbital bone.
Melvin Guillard brutally knocked out with one punch by Joe Riggs in BKFC match (Video)
Adam D Martin - October 10, 2021
Former UFC fighter Melvin Guillard was brutally knocked out with one punch by veteran Joe Riggs in a BKFC match that took place this weekend. Guillard and Riggs were former UFC stars, but in the latter stages of their fighting careers, both men are now signed to BKFC. For Guillard, he is now 38 years old and was winless in his last 13 combat sports bouts. While Guillard was once one of the top lightweight fighters in MMA, that was over a decade ago. Now 20 years into his fighting career, Guillard is no longer the same explosive KO artist he once was. In fact, he is now the one who is getting knocked out. And on Saturday, he was brutally knocked out yet again, this time by Riggs.
Dana White reacts to the tragic death of BKFC fighter Justin Thornton: “First of all, is anybody shocked?”
Harry Kettle - October 6, 2021
UFC president Dana White has given his thoughts on the recent passing of BKFC fighter Justin Thornton. It was confirmed just a few days ago that Thornton had died due to injuries sustained following his 20-second knockout defeat at BKFC 20. There’s been an outpouring of support from the mixed martial arts community ever since then with many paying tribute to the 38-year-old and what he achieved in the sport.
Dillon Cleckler issues statement after opponent Justin Thornton dies following recent BKFC fight
Adam D Martin - October 5, 2021
Dillon Cleckler issued a statement after his opponent Justin Thornton died following their recent bare-knuckle boxing fight for BKFC. On Monday, news broke that Thornton had died as a result of injuries sustained in his recent BKFC fight in August. In that fight, Cleckler knocked Thornton out and he faceplanted and was left partially paralyzed. After hearing the news that Thornton died, Cleckler took to his social media to release a heartfelt statement about his opponent’s death. According to Cleckler, Thornton’s cause of death was actually pneumonia.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship issues statement after Justin Thornton dies following KO loss at BKFC 20
Adam D Martin - October 5, 2021
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship issued a statement after MMA fighter and BKFC boxer Justin Thornton died following his KO loss at BKFC 20. Thornton was brutally knocked out during a BKFC event by Dillon Cleckler this past August. Thornton was knocked out with one punch and then faceplanted to the ground, which resulted in the fighter being partially paralyzed. For over the past month, Thornton has been in a hospital on a ventilator. On Monday, news broke that he had passed away.
Justin Thornton dies after KO loss at BKFC 20
Cole Shelton - October 4, 2021
Justin Thornton, who fought 24 times in MMA and was 0-1 in BKFC, died following his knockout loss at BKFC 20 in August. He was 38-years-old. Thornton, who was making his Bare Knuckle debut at BKFC 20 on August 20 in Mississippi, took on Dillon Cleckler, who was 2-0 in BKFC in a heavyweight bout. Both men also had MMA experience as Thornton was 6-18 and Cleckler was 11-1. It seemed like a mismatch on paper and it was exactly that as Cleckler KO’d Thornton in just 19 seconds and Thornton left the ring on a stretcher and immediately was taken to the hospital.
Diego Sanchez expected to sign with BKFC and have some "really exciting matchups"
Adam D Martin - September 3, 2021
Former longtime UFC veteran Diego Sanchez is expected to sign with BKFC and have some “really exciting matchups” with the promotion. Sanchez was released by the UFC a few months ago after his former coach and mentor, Joshua Fabia, got into a dispute with the promotion regarding Sanchez’s medicals. Sanchez has since left Fabia to be on his own, but it doesn’t appear a return to the UFC is in the cards. Instead, it appears as though BKFC will likely be the next promotion for Sanchez.
Paige VanZant told Austin Vanderford she "didn’t want to live anymore" following loss at BKFC 19
Chris Taylor - August 14, 2021
Paige VanZant (8-5 MMA, 0-2 BKF) was in a dark place following her loss to Rachael Ostovich at last months BKFC 19 event. The former UFC standouts, VanZant and Ostovich, collided for a second time on July 23, this after ‘PVZ’ had earned a submission victory in the pairs first encounter.